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EV & Sustainability

Councils boost EV charger investment but reliability gaps remain, says Schneider Electric

UK councils increased EV charger investment by up to 42% year on year, but more than half cannot monitor performance, according to new data from Schneider Electric.

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roadsign of free electric car charging station in 2023 11 27 05 22 38 utc

UK councils have ramped up investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, with some increasing spending by as much as 42% year on year, according to Freedom of Information data published by Schneider Electric. However, the same data shows significant shortcomings in charger monitoring and maintenance, potentially undermining reliability for EV users.

The study, which surveyed 67 councils across England, Scotland and Wales, found that while 2,555 new public charging devices were installed in 2023 – a 140% rise on the previous year – only 15% of councils reported 100% operational charger availability. More than half (53.7%) of councils are currently unable to monitor charger status or performance, and in the worst case, only 2.8% of chargers were reported working over a six-month period.

Of the new installations, just 2.04% (52 devices) were ultra-rapid chargers (rated over 100kW), suggesting continued challenges around grid capacity and planning constraints. The highest five-year investment from a single council stood at £8m, but 40% of councils reported zero spending or were unable to provide figures.

David Hall, VP power systems at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, said: “Whilst there’s a positive story that councils are investing in their EV charger infrastructure to meet the growing demand, it is clear that many councils could greatly benefit from the ability to track EV charger performance, detect faults or outages, and even enable remote repairs. Without it, reliability is called into question, potentially leaving EV drivers in their areas stranded.”

Hall added: “Increasing awareness and education around remote monitoring systems would support local councils and EV charging providers, particularly at high-demand locations like motorway services or city/town centres, where usage will surge as EV adoption grows. Ideally, greater collaboration between charging providers and their suppliers—across both the public and private sectors—will help ensure a more reliable and seamless charging experience – both before install and after.”

The findings come as the UK aims to transition to 100% zero-emission new car and van sales by 2035, with EVs already accounting for more than a fifth of new registrations.

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